Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A Small Post With A Lot To Say

I've been thinking a lot this year since baby entered our lives. I don't think I will write blog posts at all regularly, or maybe even again, but I have so wanted to write down some thoughts and share them with whomever comes across this little blog:

Love yourself, love children, love everyone.

Let yourself off the hook!

You are beautiful! You don't need anything to be more beautiful than you already are.

Even a very small act of kindness can go a long way.

Trust your instincts, listen to your heart.

If you are a mother, especially trust your heart! Only you know what is best for your child.

Slow down, relish the moment.

Read more, sit more, watch less, do less. You are a human being, not a human doing.

If you feel hurried and stressed, ask yourself what is really essential.

If you find yourself saying "I don't have enough time", be good to yourself and let something(s) go.

You need less stuff than you think you do. Give things away.
(This is one I need to work on!)

Stuff will not make you happy. Not pretty stuff, not expensive stuff.

You need more love than you have in your life. Give more love, and more love will come to you!

Be kind to those who aren't kind to you. If you find yourself angry at a stranger, look into your heart.

Forgive. Always!

The hardest people to forgive are those you love the most. Forgiving yourself is hard, so forgiving someone who cuts you off in traffic should be easy (but it's not).

Learn to understand people. If you find yourself judging them, ask yourself if you aren't judging yourself for the same reason.

There are lots of ways to bring goodness into the world. Be creative! One of my favorites is to write letters to stores about employees who were especially kind and helpful. It will make that person's day!

Consider sponsoring a child who needs assistance.

When you start to open your heart up, you will grow and be able to give even more love!

Laugh! Treat yourself often. Be kind to yourself always.

This past year, what I have truly loved and treasured the most have been snuggles with my baby, breastfeeding her, wearing her, sleeping next to her at night and for naps, listening to her laugh and talk/babble, being a mother, and watching my husband be a father and love his baby!

Resources I like:
The Little Book of Light by Mikaela Jones
Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne
Beyond The Rainbow Bridge: Nurturing Our Children From Birth To Seven
The Magical Child by Joseph Chilton Pearce
Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn
The Rhythm of Family by Amanda Blake Soule
You Are Your Child's First Teacher by Dancy Baldwin
The Mama Bamba Way by Robyn Sheldon
A Mystic Garden by Gunilla Norris
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
llli.org
Mothering.com
Kellymom.com
TheBabyWearer.com
The Dragontree Spa in Portland, OR. Sign up for their newsletters filled with wisdom!